He believes his nearly three decades in the department makes him the man to lead it.

"Qualifications, that's really what the public demands," Severson said. "And I think by holding people accountable I set a standard for others to follow."

Severson is endorsed by the Republican Party and local party leaders.

Tom Alioto meanwhile, is on a different path. Traveling the county in a rolling billboard, the small business owner, and second-time candidate, thinks voters want something new.

"They definitely want change, and that's the input I'm bringing, and that's the difference between the two candidates," Alioto said.

Alioto is a former interim chief of the Town of Lisbon police force. Several years ago he investigated alleged wrongdoing in the department. The controversy landed him in a legal dispute with the town, and the police force was eventually disbanded.

"I couldn't turn a blind eye to that. I was a whistle-blower in that," Alioto said.

What they read on lawn signs and roadside billboards is all that many voters know about these candidates. But that's something the candidates are hoping to change in the final few days of this race.

Both candidates are reaching out to voters on a variety of issues, but nothing is weighing heavier in this race than the question of who's best suited to step in as aheriff.

UNCONSTITUTIONAL. ? COMMITMENT 2014 COVERAGE. AND THE HIGH-PROFILE RACE FOR SHERIFF, NOT IN MILWAUKEE, BUT IN WAUKESHA COUNTY. 12 NEWS POLITICAL REPORTER KENT WAINSCOTT GOES INSIDE THE SHOWDOWN BETWEEN ONE OF THE COUNTY'S TOP OFFICERS AND A FORMER POLICE OFFICER HOPING TO SHAKE UP THE SYSTEM. SOME LOW PROFILE CASES HAVE LANDED ERIC SIEVERS AND IN THE SPOTLIGHT. HE BELIEVES HIS THREE DECADES IN THE DEPARTMENT MAKES HIM THE MAN. QUALIFICATIONS. THAT IS WHAT THE PUBLIC DEMANDS. I THINK THAT BY HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE I SET A STANDARD FOR OTHERS. HE IS ENDORSED BY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND LOCAL LEADERS. THE OTHER CANDIDATE IS ON A DIFFERENT PATH, TRAVELING THE COUNTY, THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNER THINGS VOTERS WANT SOMETHING NEW. THEY DEFINITELY WANT CHANGE. THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO CANDIDATES THAT THAT. INVESTIGATED ALLEGED WRONGDOING IN THE DEPARTMENT. THE CONTROVERSY LANDED HIM IN A LEGAL DISPUTE WITH A TOWN. THE POLICE FORCE WAS EVENTUALLY DISBANDED. I WAS A WHISTLEBLOWER. LAWN SIGNS AND ROADSIDE BILLBOARDS ARE ALL MANY KNOW ABOUT THESE CANDIDATES. THE CANDIDATES ARE HOPING TO CHANGE THAT. BOTH CANDIDATES ARE REACHING OUT TO VOTERS ON A VARIETY OF ISSUES. NOTHING IS WEIGHING HEAVIER IN THIS RACE AND THE QUESTION OF WHO IS BEST SUITED TO STEP IN TO SHARE. I AM ABSOLUTELY QUALIFIED. IF YOU WANT QUALITY LAW-ENFORCEMENT, I WILL BE HAPPY TO STAND ON MY RECORD. THAT IS THE CHOICE VOTERS WILL MAKE ON TUESDAY.